Campanula plant named ‘Chantal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Campanula  plant named ‘Chantal’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; strong stems; freely flowering habit; light purple-colored flowers that have fused petal apices; and relatively long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Campanula glomerata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘CHANTAL’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATION

Title: Campanula Plant Named ‘Chico Lila’.

Applicant: Alexius Joannes Joseph van der Zwet

Filed: Concurrently with this application having application Ser. No. 14/756,086

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Campanula plant, botanically known as Campanula glomerata and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Chantal’.

The new Campanula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Campanula plants that flower for a long period of time.

The new Campanula plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2007 of an unnamed selection of Campanula glomerata, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Campanula glomerata, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Campanula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands in June, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula plant by divisions a controlled environment in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, since August, 2009, has shown that the unique features of the new Campanula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Campanula plant have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Chantal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Chantal’ as a new and distinct Campanula plant:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Strong stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light purple-colored flowers that have fused petal apices.     -   5. Relatively long flowering period.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in plant size as plants of the new Campanula are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of ‘Chico Lila’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently having application Ser. No. 14/756,086, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Petals of flowers of plants of the new Campanula are fused at         the apices whereas petals of flowers of plants of ‘Chico Lila’         are not fused at the apices.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Chico Lila’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Chico Lila’ have lilac-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Campanula can be compared to plants of Campanula glomerata ‘Emerald’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,343. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Campanula differed primarily from plants of ‘Emerald’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula were more compact than plants of         ‘Emerald’.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula had shorter and stronger stems         than plants of ‘Emerald’.     -   3. Petals of flowers of plants of the new Campanula were fused         at the apices whereas petals of flowers of plants of ‘Emerald’         were not fused at the apices.     -   4. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Emerald’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Emerald’ had light purple-colored flowers         with darker purple-colored apices.

Plants of the new Campanula can also be compared to plants of Campanula ‘Caroline’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Campanula differed primarily from plants of ‘Caroline’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula were more compact than plants of         ‘Caroline’.     -   2. Plants of the new Campanula had shorter and stronger stems         than plants of ‘Caroline’.     -   3. Petals of flowers of plants of the new Campanula were fused         at the apices whereas petals of flowers of plants of ‘Caroline’         were not fused at the apices.     -   4. Plants of the new Campanula and ‘Caroline’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Caroline’ had pinkish purple-colored         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Campanula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Campanula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chantal’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical stems and leaves of ‘Chantal’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Chantal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown in 24-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Oude-Wetering, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Campanula production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 18° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Campanula glomerata ‘Chantal’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Campanula glomerata, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Campanula glomerata, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact and             upright plant form; inverted triangle; moderately vigorous             growth habit; campanulate flowers arranged in terminal and             axillary clusters.         -   Plant height.—About 41.3 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 28.6 cm.         -   Branch description.—Branching habit: Basal branching habit             with about four basal branches and numerous basal branches             developing per plant in subsequent years of growth. Length:             About 32.6 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Internode length: About             1.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 15° from             vertical. Texture: Densely pubescent. Luster: Slightly             glossy. Color: Close to 147D strongly tinged with close to             183C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 7.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate or cordate.         -   Margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately rugose, rough;             moderately pubescent.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to between             137C and 138A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B;             venation, close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137D; venation, close to 147D.         -   Petioles.—Stem leaves are sessile; basal leaves are             petiolate. Length: About 7.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C to             146D moderately tinged with close to 183D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single campanulate             flowers arranged in terminal and axillary clusters; flowers             face mostly upright to slightly outwardly; freely flowering             habit with about 52 flowers developing in terminal clusters             and about eleven flowers developing in axillary clusters;             petals fused at the apex.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about nine             months after planting; relatively long flowering period,             plants flower continuously from mid-June to early August in             The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Narrowly oblong. Color: Proximally, close to 145D;             distally, close to between N77B and N77D.         -   Flower cluster height.—About 5.7 cm.         -   Flower cluster diameter.—About 7.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.2 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically five in a single             whorl; fused toward the lower half of the petal and fused at             the apex. Length: About 4.1 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape:             Oblong to narrowly obovate; inverted carinate. Apex: Acute,             fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 84D and             85D; towards the apex, close to 84B; at the apex, close to             146C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 84D; towards the             apex, close to 84C; at the apex, close to 146C. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 84D; towards the             apex, close to 84C; at the apex, close to 146C; color does             not fade with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Typically five in a single             whorl; fused towards the base. Length: About 1.8 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; at the             margins, moderately to densely pubescent. Texture, lower             surface: Moderately to densely pubescent. Luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 143B to 143C; towards the apex, close to N137A.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 143B; towards the             apex, close to N137A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             143B to 143C; towards the apex, close to N137A. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 143C; towards the apex,             close to N137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Aspect, flowers in terminal clusters: Mostly upright.             Aspect, flowers in axillary clusters: About 30° from branch             axis. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             Close to 147D strongly tinged with close to 183C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 8 mm.             Anther color: Close to 13A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Stigma shape: Three-parted,             decurrent. Stigma color: Close to 145A. Style length: About             2 cm. Style color: Close to 85B to 85C. Ovary color: Close             to 145A to 145B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Campanula. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Campanula     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Campanula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind, to tolerate high temperatures about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Campanula plant named ‘Chantal’ as illustrated and described. 